Thibaut Courtois will start in the Real Madrid goal against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.
Real Madrid will aim to win a record-extending 15th UEFA Champions League crown when they lock horns with Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday night. And Carlo Ancelotti does not have any new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
David Alaba is a long-term absentee due to a knee injury, while Aurelien Tchouameni has missed the cut due to his foot issue. Ancelotti had been sweating over the fitness of Andriy Lunin after the Ukrainian international missed training this week. However, Lunin is a part of the travelling squad to take on Borussia Dortmund.
Ancelotti did not provide much team news update during his pre-match press conference. However, the Italian tactician confirmed the starting goalkeeper for Los Blancos against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final.
The Real Madrid manager said, “Lunin has been suffering from flu and hasn’t been able to travel or train . He’s travelling tomorrow and will be on the bench, so Courtois will start.”
Ancelotti also praised his squad during the presser, saying, “It’s difficult to answer because it depends. There’s something special about this club. It’s not a coincidence, there is something important that I can’t quite put my finger on. It could be its history, its tradition, the quality and character of these players… It’s happened many times and it’s not a coincidence.”
Courtois will take his spot between the sticks, with Real Madrid lining up in a 4-4-2 formation with a midfield diamond in front of him against Borussia Dortmund. The backline should feature Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho, and Ferland Mendy, with Eder Militao missing out despite his effort to regain fitness and form.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, and Jude Bellingham. Saturday’s game will be the final time Kroos makes an appearance for Los Blancos after announcing his impending retirement. Finally, Rodrygo and Vinicius will be the two attackers for Ancelotti’s team.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
